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<p>An ordinance requiring top Luzerne County government managers to live in the county appears to have majority council support to remain in effect, according to feedback presented Tuesday.</p><p>Implemented a year ago, the ordinance mandates the county manager, eight division heads, prison deputy warden, sheriff and heads of emergency management and 911 establish county residency within six months of their hiring. The policy does not require home ownership.</p><p>County Councilman Rick Williams pushed to repeal the ordinance, saying he does not believe &#8220;limiting is good government.&#8221; County Manager C. David Pedri also advocated doing away with the requirement.</p><p>Williams and four other council members introduced an ordinance Tuesday to repeal the residency rule.</p><p>However, six votes would be needed at the next council meeting to void the policy, and all six who voted against the ordinance introduction said Tuesday or previously that it should remain in effect.</p><p>Among their arguments in support of the requirement Tuesday:</p><p>&#8226; Councilwoman Kathy Dobash said county residency shows a commitment, including payment of taxes. Those who live too far away may get burned out and be inaccessible, she said.</p><p>&#8226; Councilman Stephen A. Urban said he observed during his past employment at the Pentagon that coworkers with long commutes left earlier and were not as dedicated as he and others who lived closer.</p><p>&#8226; Jane Walsh Waitkus agreed with colleagues Urban and Dobash, saying she wants top managers to contribute to the tax base.</p><p>&#8226; Councilman Edward Brominski said managers &#8220;show dedication&#8221; by moving into the county when they are hired if they don&#8217;t already reside there.</p><p>&#8226; Eileen Sorokas said, &#8220;True blue is here, people who care about the area.&#8221;</p><p>Councilman Eugene Kelleher concurred with Williams, saying he prefers managers who live and pay taxes in the county but does not want to eliminate top-ranked applicants who live a short distance across the county border.</p><p><strong>Drilling funds</strong></p><p>In other business, a council majority approved a plan allowing municipal entities and nonprofits to submit proposals seeking natural gas recreation funding.</p><p>Council members will nominate recipients and issue awards based on majority vote. Previously, a screening group made recommendations to council.</p><p>The county has received around $260,000 in funding from natural gas drilling annually since the state authorized such earmarks in 2012, with varying amounts going to outside groups.</p><p>Council plans to start seeking applications in July. The manager will identify the amount of money available for award in August.</p><p>Pedri told council he is working on a proposal with King&#8217;s College and Wilkes University that may impact the decision on how much money is kept.</p><p>Both tax-exempt institutions have expressed a willingness to provide funding and other resources to spruce up and draw more events to the River Common recreational area, which is located along the Susquehanna River facing both of their Wilkes-Barre campuses.</p><p>The idea stemmed from the county&#8217;s push to seek payments in lieu of real estate taxes from the schools. Pedri said he will recommend retaining an unspecified portion of the natural gas funding to match their contributions instead of awarding that money to outside groups.</p><p>Pedri said more investment is warranted in the River Common, which includes an amphitheater and pier. The county&#8217;s only other recreational site, the Forty Fort Recreational Complex, is operated by a private entity.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m pretty excited about the prospects of it. This may be a good opportunity for everyone,&#8221; Pedri said.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_luzerne-county-courthouse.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_luzerne-county-courthouse.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Council membersargue against repeal</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County management residency requirement likely to remain in effect